Stoker



April 18, 1933.

F. C. PICKARD STOKER Filed July 23, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet l C( ATTORNEY plil 18, 1933. 'F Q PICKARD 1,904,520

.STOKER Filed July 23, 1929 2 sheets-sheet 2 u IN VEN TOR A TT ORNE Y Patented Apr. 18, 1933A UNITED' STATES FRANK C. PICKARD, OF ERIE, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO THE-STANDARD STOKER PATE/:NT OFFICE COMPANY, INCORPORATED, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE STOKER Applicationl led July 23,

This invention relates to stokers of the scatter feed type and particularly to such as embody means for raising fuel through a conduit exteriorly of the firebox to a point above the level of the fire and delivering the same to the irebox through an opening in the backwall and there projecting the fuel over the re by means of jets of pressure Huid. l

In stokers of this type it is desirable to locate the jet structure or distributor head in the feeding system rearward of the rebox backwall to permit its replacement being made readily and to have space to extend conduits or suitable pipes from a source of supply such as a manifold on the firebox backwall to the lower portion of the distributor head, and also to have it mounted in any position such that it will not bel subjected to the heat of the fire. The distributor head and its associated parts are s'o arranged as to provide a passage for entrance of outside air to the iirebox forward of the'distributor head and beneath its adjoining distributol` member for the purpose of cooling the stoker parts to protect those portions exposed to the fire. In practice the manifold is disposed above and to oneside of the distributor head and is mounted in a horizontal plane on the backhead `within easy reach of the operator, the supply pipes extending downwardly from the manifold to a point below the distributor head, there they are bentl laterally and extend to a position directly beneath the distributor head and each pipe is then turned upwardly and fitted into a threaded opening in the bottom end of the distributor head'. From this description of past practice it will be understood that the supply pipes extending from the left side of the manifold communicate with the jet passages in the right side ofthe distributor head, thus the pipes to the left side of the manifold supply the pressure fluid and are adapted tocontrol the distribution of the fuel over the right side of the irebox and conversely the pipes to the right side of the manifold are adapted for the control of the distribution of fuel to the left side of the irebox. y

This arrangement for the control of the 1929. Serial Nov. 380,433.

distributor head and its associated parts makes it very diicult to replace the distributor head or to repair or replacethe piping; and the arrangement isalso such that the supply pipes obstruct the free passage of the cooling air beneath one side of the distributor member with the result that practically only one side of the member is suiiciently protected from the heat of the fire to prevent rapid deterioration caused by the heat and the flame of the fire burning away the unprotected exposed portion of the member. j

The present invention eliminates all the diiiculties experienced in past practice and its objects are to provide a new and novel distributor head and a simplified arrangement of its associated parts such as will overcome past diiiculties and present other advantages.

The advantages of the invention and the improved distributor head are all particularly described in the following specification as illustrated on the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a fragmentary detail vertical central section through the rear portion of a locomotive with the stoker of the invention applied thereto and being in similar section; igure 2 is a. rear elevation of the parts shown in Figure 1 and taken in section in a vertical plane on the line 2 2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is an enlarged view in section of the distributor head of Figure 1 and its associated parts; l f

Figure 4 is a. vertical section taken on the llinedl-l of Figure through the distributor Figure 5 is a perspective view of the improved distributor head of the invention; and Figure 6 is a section taken in -a horizontal plane on the line 6-4-6 of Figure 3.

substantial alignment with the floor 17 of the tender indicated as a wholeat 18.

That portion of the stoker shown comprises a forward section or rising" conduit member 20 fixed to thebackwall 12 and at its upper end communicating with the firing opening 13 and at its lower end receiving the forward section 21 of a`telescoping conduit 22 which as is well understood leads forwardly from a rearward conduit portion located beneath the Hoor 17 of the tender. The fuel is conveyed forwardly through the intermediate conduit 22 by the screw conveyer 23 which delivers the fuel into the riser conduit 20 and forces it therethrough delivering it into the firing opening 13. The fuel from the member 20 is delivered onto a distributor member or plate 24 extending through the firing opening 13 and which plate is detachably secured at its rearward face to the member 20 by any suitable fasteninoq means. l

The fuel is projected across the distributorl member and scattered over the irebox by a substantially fan-shaped pressure luid blast issuing from the nozzles or jet openings 25 of a plate like distributor head 26 disposed rearand to a height suitable to permit the dis-A charge ofthe pressure fluid blast across the`4 plate portion of the distributorv member.

The distributor head is fixed in this position to the conduit 20 by headed screws 28 through its attaching arms or lugs 29, 29a extending laterally from the upright side walls ofthe. .distributor head. The widthof the distributor head may be equal to that of the conduit 20 but in its preferred construction the head is narrower than the conduit and is disposed centrally thereof as is best shown in Figure 2 The jetvopenings 25 in the forward face of the distributor head lead from a plurality of independent passages 30 separated latera1- v ly from one to the other andbeing in the'same vertical plane. Preferably, five such passages, are provided, the center passage and its jet openingsxa're adapted to projectjetsof pressure fluid over the center of the iirebox,

th-e passage at the left and right sides of ther head and their respective jet openings which are inclined towards their respect-ive sides of the iirebox are adapted to project jets of pressure yfluid td the left and right rear side portions of the irebox andtogether with the distributor member 24 direct and are adapted to control the deliv y of the fuel tothe back corners of the firebox; and the intermediate passages and their laterally directed-jet openings are adapted to project jets of pressure Huid to the front and front side portions of \the lire, the combined jets of pressure iluid form a fan-shaped blast for projecting and scattering the fuel over' the fire' and which blast in cooperation with the directing pockets 31 of well understood form of the member 24 function to spread the fuel uniformly to all parts of the lire. As can be best observed from Figures 4 and 6, the jet openings of the various passages are substantially in the same horizontal plane and the jet openings to each side of the center jet opening in the center passage are inclined laterally ywhereby the fan-shaped blast is formed.

that the nipple portion 35 of the supply pipes can be fitted into or removed from the distributor head from a position to one side of the Stoker by breaking the supply lines at the coupling or union connections 36 without it being necessary to remove the conduit or to remove the stay bolt caps or appliances on the backhead. There is also the further advantage in that the position of the distributor head provides an entrance 37 for the admission of outside air to the fire beneath thedistributor member 24 for cooling the same and which entrance is not in any way obstructed by the supply pipes by reason of their osition rearward of the front wall of the distributor head.

The nifold is fixed to thefirebox backwall by eaded screws as at 38 and a pressure fluid, suchas steam, is brought to the manifold from the locomotive boiler or any other source of supply through 'the intake line' 39. The pipes leading from the kmanifold are each provided with a manually adjustable valve 40 and any suitable coupling or connecting members as may be needed to permit the plpes to be assembled in the posi- :tion shown in Figure 2.

From Figures 2 and 5, it is obvious that the supply pipe leading to the center passage of the distributor head is the center pipe leading from the manifold andthat left and ri ht intermediate supply lines communicate wlth the corresponding left and right intermediate-passages in the distributor head and that 'the pipes at either end of the manifold lead to the corresponding extreme end passages of the distributor head.

In the. use of the invention the fuel' conveyedthrough the 'Stoker conduit system is delivered through the conduit 20 on to the distributor member 24 within the zone of action on the fan-shaped blast discharging from the distributor head 26.r The blast blows the coall across the distributor plate and by reason of its shape and the form of the distributor member the fuel is spread uniformly over all parts of the fire. The distribution of the fuel is under the control of the operator who may spread the fuel uniformly over the fire by the proper adjustment of the valves 40 of the supply pipes 33, or the supply of fuel to various portions of the fire\ may be varied by adjustment -of the valves 40 to `vary the intensity of the pressure fluid jets issuing from the nozzles 25 of the passages in the distributor head controlling that portion of the lire over which a change in the spreading of the fuel is brought about if desired. For instance, if the operator desires to effect a change in the spreading of the fuel to the left rear corners of the irebox this can be done .by adjusting the valve in the supply line to the extreme left of the manifold and likewise the operator controls the spreading of the fuel over the side and center ortions of the fire by adjustment of the va ves in the intermediate and center supply lines.

lt will be observed that the arrangement of the supply and control of the pressure fluid to the distributor head is readily understood and is not likely to confuse the stoker operator as happens in past practice.

lt will also be seen that the arrangement of the distributor head and its piping permits a free and unobstructed flow of outside air to the firebox for cooling the stoker parts and also that the arrangement of the parts is such that the distributor head can be readily applied or removed.

The invention consists in the peculiar construction of the distributor head and in the arrangement of the parts and supply piping or conduits as defined in the appended claims.

l claim: 1. ln combination, a locomotive having a firebox provided with a backwall, a distribu-- tor member, a distributor head separate from said member and mounted at the rear thereof, said headbeing pvided with a plurality of separated independent passages, each passage having an admission opening located rearward'of said backwall and directed laterally thereof, the axis of each admission opening lying in a vertical plane which extends transversely of the irebox, said admission openings all being directed toward the same side of said firebox, a manifold on said backwall located laterally of-said head on the same side thereof toward which the admission ends of the passages are directed, con-l duits for connecting said manifold to said passages, respectively, and manually controlled valves for said conduits. v

2. 'In combination, a locomotive having a firebox provided with a backwall, a fuel conduit for delivering fuel to said irebox, a

distributor head separate from said conduit and mounted in the floor thereof to extend exteriorly of the firebox, said head arranged to distribute fuel over the firebox and comprlsing a body portion having a plurality of walled independent' passages, each passage having an admission opening located rearward of said backwall and directed laterally thereof, the axis of each admission opening lying in a vertical plane which extends transversely of the firebox, said admission openings all being directed toward the same side of said firebox, a manifold on one side of said distributor head for containing a pressure fluid, said manifold having openings arranged from side to side to correspond with the passages of said head, a plurality of pipes, each of which` connects the openings of said manifold with the respective passage of said head, and a manually operated valve in each of said pipes.

3. In combination, a locomotive having a lirebox provided with a backwall having an opening therethrough, a fuel conduit for delivering fuel 4to said opening, a distributor head mounted in the floor of said fuel conduit for distributing fuel over the grates of said firebox, said head comprising a body portion having passages at the right and left sides thereof for distributing fuel to the right and left sides of said firebox, respectively, each of said passages having an admission opening locatedl rearward of said backwall and directed laterally thereof, the axis of each admission opening lying in a vertical plane which extends transversely of the firebox, said admission Openings all being directed toward the same side of said iirebox, a manifold secured to said backwall and located above and laterally vof said head, said manifold including openings at the right and left sides thereof,lconduit s for connecting the opening at the right side of said manifold with theopening in the passage at the right side of saidhead and the opening at the left side of the manifold with the opening in the passage at the left side of said head, respectively, and means, for independently controlling the flow of pressure fluid through each of said passages.

4. -In combination, a locomotive having a rebox provided with a backwall having an opening therethrough, a fuel conduit for delivering fuel to saidI opening, a distributor head mounted in the oor of said fuel conduit for distributing'fuel over the grates of said iirebox, said head having a'plurality of passages for directing a pressure fluid for distributing fuel to the side and intermediate `portions of said rebox, each' of said passion openingsall being directed to the same side of said firebox, a manifold separate from and being located above and laterally of said head, said manifold including openings which correspond to the passages of the distributor head, conduits for connecting the corresponding openings and passages whereby the pressure iluid passing from said manifold through an intermediate opening or an opening at either side thereof will project fuel to an intermediate or the respective side portion of said Hrebox, and means for independently controlling the flow of pressure fluid through said conduits.

v5. In combination, a locomotive having a irebox provided with a backwall` having a firing opening therethrough, a fuel conduit fordelivering fuel to said opening, a distributor head mounted in the floor of said fuel conduit for distributing fuel over the grates of said lirebox, said head having a plurality of passages for directing a pressure fluid for -distributing fuel to the side and intermediate portions of the irebox, each of said passages having an admission opening located rearward of the backwall and directed laterally y thereof, the axis of each admission opening lying in a vertical plane which extends transversely of the irebox, said admission openings all being directed to the same side of said irebox, a manifold separate from and being located above and laterally of said head, said manifold including openings whichcorrespond to the passages of the distributor head, conduits connecting the open? ings of said manifold with respective passages of said head, and valves in said conduits arranged to correspond with said passages whereby when an intermediate valve or a valve at either side thereof is opened,sfuel will be projected to an intermediate or the respective side of said fireboX.

6. As an article of manufacture, a distributor head forstokers comprising a body por-i tion, said body portion including a front wall, a rear wall and side walls connecting said front and rear walls, and a plurality of passages in said body portion for receiving a pressure fluid, the front wall being .provided Y with jet openings in communlcation with said passages, each of said passages at an end remote from said jet openings, having an admission opening, said admission openings all being directed toward the same side wall of said head.

7. As an article of manufacture, a distributor hea-d for stokers comprising a body portion, said body portion including a front wall, a rear wall and side walls connecting said front and rear walls, attaching-arms extending outwardly from said body portion, and a plurality of passages in said body portion for receiving a pressure fluid, the front vwall being provided with radiating jet openings, each of said passages at an end remote 

